


The Pond

by bushViperCutie



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Cute, Gen, One Shot, POV Severus Snape, Reader-Insert, Short One Shot, Snape Appreciation Month 2020, Young Severus Snape, new friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:08:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24896692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bushViperCutie/pseuds/bushViperCutie
Summary: Lonely and disliked Prince Severus Snape befriends a village girl in the forest just outside his castle’s woods.
Relationships: Severus Snape & Original Female Character(s), Severus Snape & Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	The Pond

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: For Snape Appreciation Month, prompt 11: Snape is an actual prince. (Part 1??? I kinda wanna make a flash forward one shot of this :o maybe)

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Prince Severus normally spent most of his days in the woods outside the kingdom walls, walking through the forest looking for mushrooms, leaves, or the elusive biheaded orange rock slug. Everyday, while his brothers received lessons in dueling or ruling, he was sent out by his tutor to find his own ingredients for the potion of the day.

He wasn’t upset that his older siblings got most of the attention, not truly. He understood his oldest brother was heir to the throne, and that his next three brothers would inherit lands for them each to rule. His youngest older brother, born just one year before him, was the most liked in the village and was the most interested in politics and so his path was clear as well: a royal advisor to the soon-to-be King.

He, however, was the youngest brother, of age fourteen, and not at all liked by the village. They found him secretive because he didn’t like attending balls or festivals. They preferred the looks of his brothers, taking after his father, except they all had his mother’s nose whereas he looked like his mother except he had his father’s nose.

The contrast between them was so great he spent most of his life hiding away, hating the comments he would occasionally hear, “The runt of the litter.” He hated that word, “runt”, like a failed attempt at a sophisticated and attractive Prince. A failed attempt at someone useful to the Kingdom.

He sat down on a log and rested his elbows on his knees. His tutor expected him back in an hour with all the necessary ingredients to start on a new potion, but he could barely walk a few feet without forgetting his purpose and thinking about the outdoor ball he was supposed to attend at nightfall.

Normally the King and Queen excused him from events, seeing as he wasn’t much missed ever, but this time they were adamant about his attendance. The towns people were starting to spread rumors about him, and that apparently wouldn’t do for King Tobias or Queen Eileen.

_The night will go terribly._

…

The castle gardens had been transformed and people from all over the kingdom were in attendance, walking through the rose bushes, smelling the tulips, and dancing in the center as the band played summertime songs that made even the blue birds sing along.

His brothers were out talking to a group of noblemen from an allied kingdom while he sat by his mother’s side next to her throne. He took out his potions book and reread the ingredients and their description from that day’s lesson.

The ball went on as expected, and the village people seemed satisfied at his attendance, only giving him the occasional sneer or squinty-eyed look. _Nosy bastards._ As the sun set it was getting harder to read, even with all the dancing flame balls above their heads.

He headed behind the gardener’s shed and sat on a stump, looking up at the top of the trees, wondering what it was like to always be the last to feel the sun’s warmth as it dipped beneath the earth. If trees could talk back, he’d lose his voice talking to them… or perhaps his voice would disappear from underuse, knowing he would rather listen to their ancient stories. He never had anything worth saying anyways.

There was a rustling in the bushed up ahead and a cute girl with shoulder length brown hair came out, covered in pine needles and leaves, carrying two stones. He quickly stood and winced in regret, seeing how terribly scary it must be to have a shadowy stranger jump out from seemingly nowhere.

She recovered from her jump and bowed, realizing who stood before her, “Prince Severus! I’m so sorry… I-I was just exploring…”

Severus nodded. He didn’t know what to say to her. He barely spoke to his own family, let alone strangers, and even less rarely pretty girls with plum color lips and cheeks as pink as rose petals. He stammered trying to say a mixture of ‘Hello’ and ‘It’s alright’, saying something along the lines of “Hitso,” and trailing off.

She laughed, “You have a beautiful pond back there.”

He nodded, remembering the one; the fish in it glowed like soft stars. “Did you leave because it got dark?”

“Yes. The fish seemed to put their lights out and I thought it would be best to leave just before I couldn’t see my way back…” She looked down at her hands and held out the two rocks, “These were on the pond’s edge and… I wanted to take a memento.”

Severus noticed their green and blue shades, “Their great… Did… Did you know the pond glows again after the sun has set?”

She smiled, “Does it really?”

“Yes. I can show you… The toads glow like suns on the rocks and logs, trying to attract the mosquitos.”

She set the rocks down on the stump and slid her arm around his, “Lead the way, then.”

Severus lead her deep into the forest, wand held out for light as the woods turned dark. Once it was pitch black her fingers pressed into his arm, but he was careful with every step he took and called out roots before they even became visible.

He took her to the spot. His favorite spot. The smooth stone by the pond’s edge that rested between two cherry blossom trees. In all of the woods no one could encounter any tree that didn’t have thick brown trunks and dark green leaves, except for these two trees. He often thought of the trees as guardians of the pond, but they were only reachable by one path.

She gasped when she saw them, their petals illuminated on the water’s surface by the distant glow of croaking toads. The moon reflected bright white and the petals danced all around it, swirling with the ripples.

Before finding the pond, Severus always felt the forest was silent and eerie, but any time spent by the pond would teach anyone different. The rustles and broken twig sounds could never maintain their creepiness after witnessing all types of creatures venture out to the pond to play and tussle with their friends and family.

They sat on the rock and remained quiet, watching how the toads stuck their tongues out to catch the unsuspecting bugs and critters that dared to invade their space. He kept looking over at her and drummed on his knees.

His mouth opened and released his thoughts unfiltered, “Would you like to be friends?”

She smiled for a second, but it vanished as the fire behind her eyes died out, “I’m just a village girl… You can’t be seen with me. It’s not proper.”

Severus looked down at his fingers, “Well, I’m hardly seen at all.”

“Then let’s meet here again, every night,” her smile was as bright as her eyes again.

“I’ll make a trail for you, from the village’s forest entrance to here. I’ll make it safe for you to follow at night,” Severus’ excitement got the better of him and his voice was the loudest it’s been in months.

“In that case, I’d love to be friends with you,” she held out her hand like they were sealing a deal.

He shook it gladly.

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End file.
